RD590 - Report on Operation of Pharmaceutical Processors and Cannabis Dispensing – December 2020


Executive Summary:

The Code of Virginia authorizes the Board to issue up to five pharmaceutical processor permits. As of the date of this report, four permits have been issued. The processors spent much of the year completing facility construction, obtaining board permits, and beginning indoor cultivation of cannabis. Cannabis oil first became available to registered patients in October 2020 from Dharma Pharmaceuticals, LLC located in Bristol, VA (Health Service Area III). A second pharmaceutical processor, Green Leaf Medical of Virginia, Inc. located in Richmond, VA (Health Service Area IV) anticipates dispensing cannabis oil products to patients beginning prior to November 30, 2020. During the 2020 General Assembly Session, the restriction of 5% maximum tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) concentration was stricken in Code. A requirement for no more than 10mg of THC per dose remains in Code, but the term "dose" is not defined. Cannabis oil products are currently available in various formulations with varying concentrations of cannabidiol (CBD), cannabidiolic acid (CBDA), THC, and other cannabinoids. Examples of cannabis oil product formulations available include: oral oil, vaped oil, wax concentrate, bubble hash concentrate inhalation, nasal spray, chewable, suppository, and topical gel. The range of combined THC/THC-A and CBD/CBDA concentrations in currently available products is referenced in the table displayed on numbered pages 1 and 2 of the report.